6 Places To See The Polish Heritage Dancers Of WNY For Dyngus Day

Dyngus Day will be here before you know it.  If your plans involve checking out some incredible ethnic dancers, here's where you'll find them.

Get our free mobile app

What is Dyngus Day?

Dyngus Day is an ethnic celebration that is celebrated in Polish and Polish American communities to celebrate the completion of Lent.  In Buffalo, we celebrate by eating Polish cuisine, drinking Polish beers and liquors, checking out parades, and even trying our hand at dancing a polka!  It's a huge holiday in Western New York. Buffalo, NY is actually considered the Dyngus Day capital of the world.

The holiday also has a tradition of people sprinkling water on each other and switching people with pussy willows.  Although there is a lot of debate, dyngusday.com says the tradtion goes like this:

The tradition holds true that on Easter Monday boys would sprinkle the girls with water and tap them with pussywillows. On Easter Tuesday, the women would return the favor. At modern Dyngus Day parties it is common practice that both men and women trade water and pussywillow equally.  - DyngusDay.com

When does Dyngus Day happen?

It is the celebration of the completion of Lent so it takes place every year on the day after Easter.  This year it will fall on April 10th.

Who are the Polish Heritage Dancers Of WNY?

The Polish Heritage Dancers Of WNY are a group of adults, teens, and children (over the age of 4) who are dedicated to promoting their Polish heritage through the performance of traditional songs and folk dances.

Where can we go to see the Polish Heritage Dancers of WNY dance?

If you're interested in seeing a demonstration, they will be out all over the place this Dyngus Day.  They add on their schedule that the times are estimates based on travel time and band breaks.